Do You Really Need a Blender with 12 Speeds?

Oster 12-Speed Blender with Glass Jar

By L.A. O’Neil

When I was in my early twenties, I
realized that I could eat fantastic food without having to go to a
restaurant.  Of course, I already knew that, but I didn’t really
put it to the test until I had to pinch the proverbial penny.  I
learned everything I could by recreating recipes that were family
favorites, as well as creating my own. My love for cooking lead me to
spearheading a catering business and an intimate, log cabin restaurant,
and it was during those years that I used many different kitchen
appliances – especially blenders.  I still use a blender several
times a week and I can’t do without it!

The Oster 12-Speed Blender with Glass
Jar is what I call a middle-of-the-road small kitchen
appliance.  You can find it just about anywhere for about $40 –
even less, if you’re a crafty online shopper.  When I compare it
to several other blenders on the market, the phrase ‘you get what you
pay for’ comes to mind and it’s too bad, because Oster used to be ‘the
blender’ in the ‘60s and ‘70s.  Not anymore.

If you’re a part timer in the kitchen, the Oster 12-Speed Blender with
Glass Jar may be just right for you.  It will handle small
blending jobs just fine – by ‘small blending jobs’ I mean a cup or two
of liquid and a couple of ingredients such as mushrooms and
broccoli.  In fact, it’s perfect if you’re blending soup for two
on a cold snowy day.  Other than that – not so much.

So.  What is the major difference between the Oster 12-Speed
Blender with Glass Jar and  . . . say, a $130 blender?  It
comes down to the most important feature of any blender – the motor
speed.   The Oster 12-Speed Blender with Glass Jar offers a
paltry 450-watt motor – and, when you compare that to one of its top
competitors that has a 2 HP motor, the performance difference is
clear.  If you’re planning to make smoothies, it may be O.K., but
don’t plan to crush ice with the Oster 12-Speed Blender with Glass
Jar.  The motor simply isn’t strong enough and the chances of
motor burnout are high – once you begin to have motor problems, you may
as well chuck the blender in the trash.

The Oster 12-Speed Blender with Glass Jar will look snappy on your
kitchen counter and looks count for a lot!  It does have a feature
that I really like – the glass jar.  I like glass because it
doesn’t stain, but if your chances of dropping it on the kitchen floor
(kids!) are high, by all means, choose a blender with a plastic
container. (I find that children and blenders sometimes don’t
mix!)

Do you really need a blender with 12 speeds?  I don’t think
so.  Two speeds, low and high, should perform all blending
functions that you can throw at – I guess I’m not cool enough to
recognize the difference between speeds 7 and 8, 2 and 5 and so
on.  Twelve speeds sounds great, but it’s a marketing ploy
designed to impress the potential buyer and, I don’t know about you,
but I want a small kitchen appliance that will do the job and one that
I won’t have to replace within a year.  Remember:  you get
what you pay for!  Would I buy an Oster 12-Speed Blender with
Glass Jar?  No.Specifications that Matter!

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